The Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court has cracked the whip on two men found guilty of robbing students of their valuables. The convicted robbers, South African Jane Andrias Mojela (27) and Lesotho citizen Lehlohonolo Moeketsi (21), were sentenced to 15 years’ direct imprisonment each.
The court sentenced them yesterday Z Tuesday, 17 September Z after finding the duo guilty of robbery with aggravating circumstances after they robbed two students of the Central University of Technology (CUT), Free State, on 18 November last year. Evidence presented revealed the two convicts were lying in wait to rob the two students who were returning from campus at about 20:30.
Sgt Sinah Mpakane, spokesperson for the provincial police, said Moeketsi was further sentenced to a fine of R1 500, or 60 days’ imprisonment. The additional sentence relates to his contravention of the Immigration Act by being in South Africa illegally. She said sentences will run concurrently and that the men were remanded in custody until sentencing.
“It was discovered during trial that on 18 November the two students, both 19 years old, were returning from the CUT when they met with the two accused. They demanded cellphones from the two victims. One of the accused grabbed the school bag from one victim, who thereafter fled on foot onto the CUT’s Bloemfontein campus to hide himself. The victims followed the robbers and reported the matter to the security officers, who started to looking for them.
“They found the accused with the exhibits, which were positively identified by the victims. The security officers arrested the suspects and handed them over to the police. They attended the trial until they were sentenced,” said Mpakane, attributing the conviction and sentencing as a result of diligent work by the investigative officer WO Malefetsane Ramolula of the Park Road Police Station’s Serious and Violent Crimes unit.
In November 2022, another student of the university Siyawandisa Mpho Ruda, was shot dead by armed robbers on his way to off-campus accommodation. He was fatally shot in company of female companion at about 22:30 on 19 November. The attackers took laptop and toiletries bag, thereafter fled in a white old model Mercedes-Benz. Ruda, who played rugby for the institution originated from Bisho in the Eastern Cape.
* The robbery of students on off-campus accommodation in Bloemfontein is rampant, culminating in murder in some instances.
In November 2022 another student of the university, Siyawandisa Mpho Ruda, was shot dead by armed robbers on his way to off-campus accommodation.
He was fatally shot in the company of a female companion at about 22:30 on 19 November.
The attackers took the companion’s laptop and toiletry bag, thereafter fleeing the scene in a white, old-model Mercedes-Benz.
The murder and armed robbery took place in the Universitas suburb.
Ruda was in the final year of attaining his national diploma in internal auditing at the CUT’s Bloemfontein campus. The deceased, who played rugby for the institution, originated from Bisho in the Eastern Cape.
Ruda
Meanwhile, four men are on trial for the ruthless attack of two students of the CUT in April this year. They are Tumelo Monyane (27), Thabang Joseph Mabesa (25), Neo Pitso Molefe (23), and Thato Mahlomela (20). They are currently out on bail ranging from R500 to R1 000 granted by the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court on 18 April.
The assailants face charges of murder and assault, with intention to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH). The accused’s violent act culminated in the death of Thato Molaodi (19) and landed Lerato Khobeni (20) in hospital with severe injuries.
Molaodi
The charge of murder relates to the death of Molaudi and a charge of GBH regarding the ruthless assault of Khobeni on 9 April.
The accused were arrested shortly after the incident of the two students.
Molaodi was a second-year BEd student majoring in Economics and Management Sciences, and Khobeni a third-year BEd student majoring in Mathematics. It is understood they were headed to campus to query the delayed payment of an NSFAS allowance.
